My coffee isn't the only thing brewin'!

The week before a CG event...something starts to shift in the air.

My team feels it.   I feel it.  It's coming.  We know its coming!

Anndddd...its not every day (like never) you would find this in my office:



A CGgirl dropped this off and so it begins...  :)

Excited?  YEAH!

We're supporting our troops in Afghanistan and think it would be wildly fantastic if you would join us!

Details?  CommonGround is happening on Friday, January 27th at 7pm at Connection Church in Canton, MI!

It’s our first event of 2012 and we can’t wait!  CGGirls will be partnering with Care Packages for Troops Michigan Chapter and collecting the following items for troops in Afghanistan:

• Individual powdered drink mixes (kool-aid, crystal light,etc.)


• Socks for men/women: white or green crew socks


• Puzzle Books


• Healthy snacks (protein bars, nuts, beef jerky, crackers, etc.)


• Ramen Noodle Cups, Microwaveable Mac & Cheese Cups

 

Student Leadership, Cupcakes and Me.

I had the privilege to spend some time with some fantastic young women on the UNDIVIDED Leadership Team today.

Want to meet them?

Aren't they just fantastic?

They are all uniquely and wonderfully made...

...and they all screamed in the parking lot when we pulled into Just Baked!

Yep, I got points!! :)

Who in the younger generation can you spend a few hrs with?

You'll be the one who learns.  :)

This is no ordinary life...

Sometimes we can go about our day and believe that we are just ordinary people.

Today was one of those days until I picked up the phone a few minutes ago.

On the other end?   A very nervous young woman who said,  "Two women came into where I work the other night and said if I call them they could help me."

The women?  The girls from My Sister Song!  Remember our January outreach?

Girls, we do not live ordinary lives.

Because God is an extraordinary God.

Thank you, God for reminding me...You still fight for those in darkness.

Exodus 14:14  The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.

 

   

Worship Leader Announced for CG Jan 28, 2011!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!   Or not.  :)  Ever feel the need to take whiffs of  suntan lotion as you watch the snow fall?  I'm just NOT ready!  How about you?

We have some exciting news...two parts actually.  Our CG worship leader, Christa Alberts is making a worship CD!  We are so proud of her and we'll be making it available at CG events starting in the spring.   It is highly likely that Christa will be out of town recording her CD in January.   Christa and I put our heads and hearts together and are pleased to announce the worship leader for our CG event on January 28, 2011... Brittany Ball.

Brittany Ball, 26, is the wife of Bryan Ball, the Director of Student Ministries at Connection Church.  Born and raised in Macomb County, Michigan, Brittany and Bryan, along with their puppy Porkchop, moved to Canton in the summer of 2010.  Brittany is a graduate of the University of Michigan and is currently employed as an elementary teacher in Macomb County for Romeo Community Schools.
 Brittany has been leading worship with her husband for the past four years.  She has been singing in church since she was three years old.  Brittany's main influences include Kari Jobe, Christy Nockels, and Hillsong United.  She hopes that God speaks to you through the songs chosen for that night the way that He speaks to her through them.

  (You can check out Brittany singing the National Anthem here!)

Girls Who Love God!

We are convinced more than ever that when women gather for CommonGround...they are girls who love God.   Only God could bring over 100 women from 13 different churches together on a hot July evening to help kids they will never meet.  

Only God.

We were blown away by the outpouring of love you showed Friday night.  130 backpacks (yep, 130!) filled with school supplies were donated that evening to St.Mary's Back to School Fair.   Unbelievable.   CommonGround girls, you continue to make me look toward heaven with an overflowing heart of gratitude to thank our Father for you. 

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Big Shout out to the following churches in attendance:  Cornerstone, Calvary Baptist Church, Memorial Church of Christ, Revival Tabernacle, Cross Pointe, St. Thomas, Connection Church,  Rivers of Living Water, Metro South, Northridge, St. Mary's, and Geneva Presbyterian!    Leaving our differences at the door and gathering in unity to worship the One True Living God! 

See you in October, girlfriends!!

Projectbackpack in full swing!

God never fails us.  About ten days before each CommonGround event, we start to get the sense that He is up to something unique with the upcoming event.   God never fails us. (Trust us, we've failed him plenty...but He never fails us!)

He is starting to perk some bubbalicious excitement around here...and we love it!!  

Christa Alberts, our CG worship leader, shows off two of the backpacks dropped off today. We can't wait to have all of the CG girls from all different churches worshiping One God on July 16th.   This is #5 for us !    Who would have thought?  Only God. :)

There is still plenty of time to go out and grab a backpack (please pay for it...stealing...would probably not be so cool :) ) and fill it with these six items:  ruler, glue sticks, notebook, 24pk of crayons, pencils and colored pencils.

We'll be taking these backpacks to St. Mary's Community Outreach.  They'll be giving them to kids who attend their "BACK to SCHOOL"  fair in August. 

As someone put it so clearly earlier..."Every kid deserves to start school with school supplies."  

Yep, we agree.  

Even more than that -- every kid deserves the opportunity to know that Jesus loves them.  By meeting this need CommonGround girls can help show them.  

Thank you girls for taking the love of Jesus from the pews to the pavement.   A life of service to the Lord is about the coolest thing anyone can do with their life.

(photo credit: Christie Martin)